1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an E-mail distribution system, and in particular to an E-mail distribution system which is formed of a sever and a client (equipment) including a user, and distributes an E-mail corresponding to a group which includes a plurality of clients.
In recent years, E-mails have been popular more and more. A general arrangement of a system for distributing such E-mails is shown in FIG. 17. A network 20 is connected to a server 21 and a plurality of clients 22 each of which includes a user. Some of such clients 22 are aggregated to compose groups G1, G2 as shown in FIG. 17.
An actual example of such a system is shown in FIG. 18. A primary responder P2 accepts a question 1 from a questioner P1 on the telephone. Then, the primary responder P2 sends the contents of the question to an answerer group P3 through an E-mail 2. This is accumulated in the mail server 21 as a question mail transmission 2.
The answerer group P3 is an aggregation of a plurality of clients each including a user in the form of hardware. When an operator of the answerer group P3 sends a mail acquisition demand 3 to the mail server 21, the mail server 21 executes the mail distribution 4 to the answerer group P3. An answerer of the answerer group P3 investigates the contents of the E-mail and returns an answer 5 on the telephone, resulting in a help-desk operation.
Thus, in a recent E-mail distribution system, not only a single client but also a plurality of clients forming a group are provided to have a connection with a server. Accordingly, the distribution of E-mails received as a group E-mail address to client users has been required.
2. Description of the Related Art
The prior art E-mail distribution system in which clients 22 form a group for the connection to a server 21 is shown in FIGS. 19 and 20. Specifically, FIG. 19 shows an arrangement of the server 21, and FIG. 20 shows an arrangement of each of the clients 22.
The server 21 shown in FIG. 19 is formed of an interface 1 which receives an E-mail EM1 from a network, a mail receptor 2 which accepts the E-mail through the interface 1, a mail accumulator 3 which accumulates the E-mail accepted at the mail receptor 2 and which includes a plurality of personal mail spools 4, a mail acquisition demand receptor 6 which accepts a mail acquisition demand MD1 from a client 22 through the interface 1, and a mail distribution controller 9 which outputs an E-mail EM2 taken from the mail accumulator 3 by the mail acquisition demand receptor 6 through the interface 1.
The client 22 shown in FIG. 20 is formed of a mail acquisition demander 11 which sends the mail acquisition demand MD1 to the server 21 through an interface 10 and a mail receiver 12 which receives the E-mail EM2 through the interface 10.
A format example of the above-mentioned mail acquisition demand MD1 is shown in FIG. 21. This demand MD1 is formed of a user identifier UID and a password PW.
In such a prior art E-mail distribution system, the methods of distributing E-mails received with a group E-mail address to the user of the client 22 are shown in FIGS. 22 and 23.
FIG. 22 shows a broadcasting distribution method. When E-mails a, b, c, which correspond to E-mails EM1, EM2 of FIG. 19, are sent to the server 21, the mail receptor 2 in the server 21 accepts them through the interface 1. These E-mails a-c are stored in all of the personal mail spools 4-1-4-3 of the users registered in an E-mail address corresponding to a group GMA.
When the mail acquisition demand MD1 is transmitted from the client 22 to the server 21, the mail acquisition demand receptor 6 specifies a user based on a user identifier UID and a password PW that are included in the mail acquisition demand MD1. The receptor 6 extracts the E-mails a-c from the personal mail spools 4-1-4-3 corresponding to the user and distributes them to the clients 22-1-22-3 through the mail distribution controller 9.
Thus, when an E-mail addressed to a group E-mail address is received, the E-mail is distributed by a broadcasting method to all of the users which belong to the group corresponding to the address.
FIG. 23 shows a transferring distribution method. In this case, when such E-mails a-c are sent to the server 21, the mail receptor 1 accepts them through the interface 1. These E-mails a-c are stored in one of the personal mail spools 4-1-4-3 of the users registered in a group E-mail address GMA.
When the clients 22-1-22-3 transmit the mail acquisition demand MD1 to the server 21, the mail acquisition demand receptor 6 specifies a user based on a user identifier UID and a password PW included in the mail acquisition demand MD1. The receptor 6 extracts the E-mails a-c from the personal mail spools 4-1-4-3 corresponding to the user, and distributes them to the clients 22-1-22-3 through the mail distribution controller 9. Thus, this transferring distribution method is executed by distributing an E-mail to any user of a group.
Such a prior art E-mail distribution system as above-mentioned encounters the following problems when a question is received with an E-mail of a group E-mail address and one user of the group answers the question:
When an E-mail of a group E-mail address is accumulated in the personal mail spools corresponding to all of the users of the group by the broadcasting distribution method shown in FIG. 22, the E-mail is distributed to all of the users, although only one of the users of the group has to deal with the E-mail.
When an E-mail is accumulated in the personal mail spool corresponding to any of the users of the group by the transferring distribution method shown in FIG. 23, one of the users of the group is to deal with the E-mail. However, the accumulation is executed in the personal mail spool (accumulator) regardless of the situation of the user. Therefore, while the user is leaving his seat, the E-mail is to be accumulated in the personal mail spool so that the response to the question will be delayed.
Thus, it has been impossible to distribute E-mails transmitted with a group E-mail address to only one user of the group with the most suitable priority.